There were octagon jitters during his first UFC win. There were tactical mistakes during the 15-minute contest. And perhaps most importantly, Roop was was just one tough S.O.B.

But the important thing for Hioki is that he did walk away with the victory. And since he’s currently the de facto flag-bearer for Japanese MMA, Hioki believes his performance proves his countrymen can also be successful in the octagon.

“I think I will be really happy if all the Japanese people watching my fight were encouraged by my fight,” Hioki said at the evening’s post-event press conference in Las Vegas. “Basically, the rules were different, but I believe there’s going to be a possibility that many Japanese fighters will be victorious in this event.”

That hasn’t necessarily been the trend in recent times. Japanese imports like Yoshihiro Akiyama, Riki Fukuda, Takanori Gomi, Takeya Mizugaki and Michihiro Omigawa have all garnered mixed results, at best. But UFC president Dana White said it’s tough to say Japanese fighters don’t currently measure up. After all, the UFC boss believes Japan’s current leading middleweight is among the world’s very best fighters.

“I don’t look at people whether they’re Japanese or Brazilian or whatever it is,” White said. “We’re looking for the best fighters in the world. This sport is very international. We’re going global, and we want all the best fighters no matter who they are or where they’re from – whether they’re Japanese or not. And I still think that Yushin Okami is one of the best fighters in the world.

“Whether you’re Japanese, Brazilian, Croatian or whatever, this is a tough place to fight. All the best fighters in the world fight here from all over the world. I wouldn’t point out one certain spot on the map and say, ‘Oh, these guys aren’t doing well.’ These divisions are tough, and all the toughest fighters in the world are here. It’s tough to stay here.”

Hioki will stay, at least for now. He’s now lost just one fight in his past 15 total outings. His body may ultimately prove better suited for the UFC’s bantamweight division, but Hioki admits he’s not exactly familiar with the weightcutting process that’s become an imperative aspect of the sport in the U.S.

But leave that talk for another day. Hioki can exhale, regardless of how tight his split-decision result truly was. A win is a win, and Hioki has made an important first step, no matter how shaky.

“It was a tough fight,” Hioki said. “I think I got the fight to the ground. The third round, I wasn’t sure how to score. It was a close fight. It’s possible he won.